Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) Page 7

  Beverly continued to read her letter, and Elise thought there was no friend more dear to her. Elise owed her friend the world because she willingly chose to postpone her own come-out when Elise decided to remain at Haldenwood after her grandmother’s fall last year.

  Her friend folded the pages and returned them to the envelope. “He’s asked that I meet with his man of business and make the necessary arrangements to increase staffing and such for the Mayfair house.” She looked from Elise to Lia and back, and fairly trembled with excitement. “My father is finally coming home to stay.”

  “That is wonderful news, Beverly,” Elise exclaimed.

  “I can hardly believe he will be here in less than one week,” Beverly said, very relieved her father would make it in time.

  The door to the morning room was open and all three ladies heard the sounds of her grandmother’s cane, then her voice as she grumbled to a house maid about following too closely behind her. When she’d entered the room, she addressed Lia. “I must have a word with you dear.”

  Lia gave her full attention to Grandmother, and Elise saw her brow furrow with concernl. “Ma’am?”

  “Who is it that set these house maids to following alongside me? Ever since I arrived, they hover so closely I’m going to blow over if they so much as breathe on me.”

  “I shall speak to my husband, and see if he will relax the constant protection.” Lia looked over to Elise, then back to her husband’s grandmother. “Ren wants to protect us, but doesn’t understand how confining it feels to us women.”

  Elise stood and gave her seat over to her grandmother. Her Grace turned to Beverly and finished the prior conversation by saying, “Given that you have only a few days, you will need Mrs. Steen to help you. She’s a gem when it comes to staffing a home. I would be lost without her.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace,” Beverly said. “The house has been closed since the last tenants moved out after Christmas. It will take a small army to ready it for occupancy again.”

  “I’m sure it will. And remember, tomorrow morning we have your fittings scheduled, Beverly.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Also, here are more replies,” Lia handed over the late arriving cards. “Keep your list updated, so we can make our seating arrangements for the dinner closer to the day of the ball.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Beverly came around the desk to hug the seated duchess. “I do appreciate everything your family has done for me.” Elise noticed her friend’s blue eyes swimming in tears. “When I was a little girl, I never dreamed I’d be able to have all this—your friendship, this ball....” Beverly visibly fought to control her emotion. “I wouldn’t have it were it not for your generosity.”

  “It’s nothing,” Lia said to Beverly as she held the younger girls’ hands. “You’ve been with us almost since the day I came to this country. You are like family to us. My husband has great esteem for your father, and I am not doing anything your mother would not have done were she still alive.”

  “Yes, I know,” Beverly said. “But I still appreciate all you and His Grace are doing for me. I will be forever in your debt.”

  “Seeing you married well is the only repayment we require dear.” Lia looked at Elise, then back to Beverly, and said, “If the way the season has gone thus far is any indication, you will both make splendid matches. Sono certo.”

  Elise wished she could be as certain as Lia. Her idea of a splendid match is the only match she’d ever wanted—a match with Michael.

  A knock on the door preceded Niles, who stated that Lady Elise and Lady Beverly had visitors in the yellow salon. The Ladies Royce and Stone had arrived and were waiting on tea.

  “So it begins, dear hearts,” Lia said. “Have a good visit. Should you need me, send a footman. I must finish Luchino and Sarah’s study plans for the coming week while I have a moment. If the ladies are still here when I am done, I will come down.”

  Elise’s grandmother leaned on her cane and raised herself from the chair. “I will come with you and see what those two mischief-makers are up to. You two can accompany me down the stairs as long as you don’t smother me like the housemaids do.”

  “I would never smother your ladyship,” Beverly said.

  At the bottom of the steps Elise, her grandmother, and Beverly entered the yellow salon to find Lady Stone and her widowed sister Lady Royce seated on the Chippendale chairs near the window overlooking the side garden. Elise asked Niles to please check on the tea tray then greeted her guests. The older ladies, twins who rarely parted from each other’s company, had been dear friends of her mama’s in their youth. Both stood as godmothers for she and Ren, and as such had a special place in their hearts—even if Elise considered them both sweet busybodies.

  This morning both women, identical in their tartan dresses, smiled simultaneously. Lady Stone spoke first. “I’m sorry we were unable to stay long last night, my dear, Lord Stone was feeling unwell.”

  Her grandmother sighed. “Herbert is such a dramatist,” she said as she sat on the sofa opposite the ladies. “I told my cousin not to eat the honey and goat cheese hors d’oeuvres.” She shook her plum-colored turbaned head, adding, “Silly man deserved every gastric distress that befell him because he wouldn’t listen to me.”

  Elise hoped to diffuse the situation before it escalated. She leaned forward and said with honest sympathy, “I hope this morning finds him much improved, my lady.”

  “Yes he is, dear.” Lady Stone smiled at Elise before turning to her grandmother and sighing with exasperation. “It’s his gout troubling him again Beatrice, and he explained it all to you while we were at dinner, but you seemed more concerned with getting extra berry sauce on your pork roulade than with what Herbert was saying. But that’s neither here nor there.” Lady Stone looked over to her and Beverly on the sofa. “Louisa here,” Lady Stone motioned to her sister, “stayed the duration and reported exactly what the gossip rags are touting. Your party was the event of the season. His Grace must be very proud. With your good looks and dowry, you’ll land yourself a coronet before the end of the year, I don’t doubt.”

  “I hope he is proud of me, Lady Stone, but as you know, the season is just into its’ height, and we have two months yet. It’s doubtful anything will come of my first outing, and I should think I’d want to take my time finding a husband. One can never be hasty in a decision of this magnitude.”

  “Quite right, my dear,” concurred Lady Royce. “A young lady of your station must be careful not to allow some penniless handsome devil to pay court to you. Absolutely no good will come of it. But I’m sure our godson will see to it that you select wisely.”

  The tea cart arrived and the maid served. When she left, Elise said, “He’s already given me the lecture ma’am.” She stirred her tea with as delicate a hand as she could manage to portray the ladylike image that was so necessary to achieve her goal. “I will heed his warnings, I assure you.”

  “So,” began Lady Royce, looking directly at Elise, “who have you set your cap for then? Camden?”

  “Because if it is,” added Lady Stone, “you’ve a long row to hoe young lady. It’s not likely he’s forgotten your antics of the years past.”

  “Then there’s his mother,” Lady Royce added. “She’ll be a hard critic to win over. Lady Richard has often said she would like a quiet, girl of good reputation and temperament for her son.”

  Elise’s heart dropped like a rock into her gut. She knew Michael’s mother would be an obstacle. Elise would have to win over Lady Richard with her newfound maturity, or the woman would never accept her as her only son’s wife.

  Her grandmother set her cup on the saucer a little less delicately than she should, causing all heads to turn her way. “His grace has threatened to banish her to The Box if she so much as sneezes in Camden’s direction,” her grandmother interjected.

  Elise’s cheeks burned with high color, she was sure. Her grandmother was supposed to love her, not humiliate her!

>   “Well that’s no punishment,” Lady Stone scoffed. “It’s beautiful and rugged year-round up there.”

  Her grandmother shook her head and gave Lady Stone an exasperated glare. “How soon you forget Louisa, that was my childhood home. It’s the Grampians. In winter it’s frozen, desolate, and mind-numbingly boring.”

  Elise needed to get a handle on the direction of this conversation before any rumors started and Lady Richard caught wind of her continued desire for her son. She prayed fervently she could put a stop to the gossipy relations in her midst. All she needed was for these two busy-bodies to spread tales during the rest of their calls as to whom Elise had set her cap for. And, as the morning had just started, this was likely the first stop on their rounds for the day. She lifted her chin and after taking the final sip from her cup, she replied in as uncaring and dispassionate a voice as she could manage.

  “No, I’ve been over Camden for several years. He’s nothing more to me than....”

  Beverly recognized her discomfort as Elise stumbled on her words and took over. “Oh, he’s nothing more to her than a dear friend of the family.”

  The ladies turned their attention to Beverly. Lady Royce began with her questions for Elise’s friend. “And have you set your sights upon any young man yet?”

  “With her looks, Louisa, she can get any man she wants.” Elise’s grandmother said about Beverly.

  “Didn’t you see the way the men flocked around her last night Eugenia?” Lady Royce asked.

  “With her blond curls and blue eyes, she’ll be betrothed before the season is over,” said Lady Stone.

  “Well then, it’s a good thing Hepplewhite will be home soon. He’ll be just in time to walk her down the aisle,” her grandmother said with her smooth, sarcastic wit.

  Beverly looked over at the ladies across from them and said, “I doubt I could attract even a church mouse, for I have neither the looks nor the fortune Elise possesses. Which suits me fine because I’ve always dreamed of making a love match.” Her friend nervously wrung her hands together while under the scrutiny of the elderly matrons. “You see, Ladies, during this season, and with the opportunity I have had these past two years to reside with the Duke and Duchess, I’ve realized not having a fortune can be a good thing. This way I will know my groom-to-be is marrying me for me.”

  “Girls,” Lady Stone said, “you will soon learn that it isn’t the fortune or lack thereof that will get you a husband who will shower you with both affection and attention. It’s how you comport yourselves publicly and treat him in private.”

  The rest of the visit was spent discussing which activities and events the girls were planning to attend. The elderly ladies nodded their heads approvingly, and soon bid Elise and Beverly farewell.

  No sooner had the Ladies Stone and Royce departed, when more callers arrived. And after that, they went for a quick ride in the park. Thus the day was spent, until such time they had to retire to prepare for the night ahead. And even though Elise was thoroughly exhausted, she wasn’t about to miss the Everly ball. From what she’d heard, Lord and Lady Everly threw a grand fete every season and she wanted to look her best—just in case Michael chose to attend.

  The ballroom of the Everly’s London home was ablaze with light from the magnificent trio of chandeliers overhead. Yellow roses, late daffodils and lilies filled the room. Elise followed her brother, sister-in-law, and grandmother through the open door, with Beverly at her side. After greeting their hosts in the receiving line, her brother saw a few of his friends, all married gentlemen, and after giving his wife a discreet kiss on the cheek, he headed back to the gaming room—no doubt to play cards while the wives and daughters held court in the ballroom above them.

  Elise and Beverly followed grandmother and Lia as they all made their way through the crowd which parted for them thanks to either Lia’s rank or grandmother’s cane, she wasn’t sure which. As she moved through tightly-packed ballroom, it felt as though the eyes of the entire ton were on her. If the entirety of the guests at the Everly ball thought she’d be so daring every night as she had been the previous night now that she was officially out, they would be wrong.

  Conventionality prevailed this night, as Elise appeared in a pale green satin evening dress with a patent net overlay. Delicate lace gathered her hem into pleated scallops and traced the seams in her modest bodice. With a string of tiny emeralds grazing her collarbone, and the larger ones dangling from her ears, she was feeling almost as confident tonight as she had the night before.

  They nodded and greeted several guests they knew, and even a few they didn’t. She and Beverly greeted a group of friends, and promised to return momentarily. They then followed Lia and Grandmother onward to the matrons seated near a bank of windows for the breeze if offered. Beverly lifted two cups of punch from the tray held by the footman and handed them to Elise, then took two more for Lia and her grandmother.

  “I’m so glad you came, Your Grace,” one of the guests said, as she came up to their group as her sister-in-law assisted her grandmother into a chair. When the woman saw she had Lia’s attention, she dipped into a curtsy before the duchess, then greeted her grandmother. “Lady Sewell,” the woman said.

  Elise knew Lia was still uncomfortable with the attention she received when out at events, but also that it was one part of her new life that she would, with time, become accustomed to.

  “Lady Marchmont,” Lia said, “I would like to introduce you to my sister-in-law, Lady Elise Halden and her dear friend, Lady Beverly Hepplewhite.”

  The pinch-faced, beak-billed woman nodded and forced a smile, and raising her hand she called forward her daughters to introduce them to Lia. Two equally pinch-faced girls came forward, they could not possibly be more than sixteen years of age.

  Beverly then handed the punch cups to Grandmother and Lia, and after introductions were made all around. Lia gave the slightest nod that Elise took as their cue to be off. She and Beverly walked over to a group of their friends, some of whom they’d seen only hours ago in the park, and began chatting until the orchestra returned from break.

  From nowhere it seemed, Sinclair appeared to take a place next to her and joined in their conversation. Elise tried to pinpoint what it was about him that caused her to be on edge when he was around. Any young lady in the room would be lucky to have Mr. Sinclair’s attention as he was fair of face and form. Impeccably groomed, he dressed in the very latest color and fashion, his clothing was expensive and tailor-made to his broad chest and narrow hips. His disposition was kind and he enjoyed conversing on some of the same topics as she. He seemed well-educated and intelligent.

  But he wasn’t Michael. The man her heart hungered for.

  When a new piece began, he turned to her. “My lady, may I have the honor?”

  For a moment she’d thought to beg off and escape to the retiring room, but it would be beyond rude to decline his offer of partnering her. And as much as she wanted to, she just couldn’t refuse him. To do so would not help people believe she’d grown up. Nodding and placing her gloved hand on his arm, he led her gracefully through the crowded dance floor, one hand lightly on her waist, as he partnered her in a country dance, where his expert moves were everything a gentleman could aspire to, and as his hand warmed under hers, she began to relax.

  After a minute, he gazed down at her, his blue eyed expression serious. “I wanted to ask if I might pay a call tomorrow.”

  “Of course you can call, sir.” She smiled at him, wanting to give him the same opportunity she would any other appropriate young man who showed interest in her opinions. “We can continue our conversation on the merits of educating the poor. You seem enlightened in so many areas of reform, perhaps I will be able to convert you yet.”

  “Perhaps,” he replied. She looked up into his expression and saw his grow soft. “If I wanted to ask you for a carriage ride in the park, would you be so inclined?”

  “As long as you get permission from my brother, and my groom is prese
nt, I don’t see why not.”

  Sinclair nodded in agreement and as they continued to dance his blond hair fell onto his forehead giving him a quaint boyish charm. She chided herself for her earlier observation of him. He seemed sincere and harmless. She thought maybe she’d not given him enough time to relax and become himself in her presence.

  When their music ended, Sinclair returned her to their group, then left to get them a beverage. While he was gone, another gentleman asked for her company in the next dance. Seeing Beverly move onto the floor with another partner, Elise nodded and allowed her new partner to lead her onto the floor.

  When she returned to her group of friends in the corner she saw Sinclair waiting, holding two flutes of what appeared to be champagne. His handsome face had a fleeting dark expression, but as soon as their eyes met it changed and softened again. Was there anger directed at her dance partner? Or had she mistaken the look she’d just witnessed? He seemed much more relaxed now, but for a moment she swore his eyes shot daggers at the unfortunate young man in front of her. She thanked her partner and he bowed before leaving for the card room.

  Sinclair smiled and handed her a glass. Elise thanked him, took a sip of the contents to see how bubbly it was before taking a healthy swig because she was so thirsty. Her companion smiled and chuckled. “Would you like more, my lady?” he asked.

  She closed her eyes, letting the liquid flow into her veins, relaxing her. “No thank you, this is quite sufficient.” She watched as Beverly remained on the floor with her partner for yet another dance with the same gentleman. Her friend knew the unwritten two dance rule as she’d reminded Elise of it often enough, any more than that and she’d be as much as declaring her betrothal.

  “Who is the man dancing with Lady Beverly?”

  Sinclair squinted, as he focused on the throng of people on the floor. “That is Sir Terrence Marlowe. He’s my cousin, but more importantly I consider him a friend.”

  Elise lifted her eyes to his. “I just want to make sure my friend is not falling for the wrong sort.”